April 15, 2019 – As part of the XI International Forum ATOMEXPO-2019, Mr. Andrey Butko, Chief Executive Officer, JSC RASU, and Mr. Nikolay Groshev, Deputy General Director for Civil Production, JSC Ural Electromechanical Plant (JSC UEMZ) received two certificates of conformity with the standards of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for low voltage switchgear (LVSG) of the new USG (Ural Switchgear) series.
The certificates were awarded in the presence of the first deputy of CEO Rosatom State Corporation – Director for Development and International Business Kirill Komarov on behalf of the French certification body ASEFA by Mr. Fran?ois Verkindt, Head of Power Generation Global Business Development, Schneider Electric.
The new USG series of LVSG cabinets have advanced safety features and extended service life of 50+ years. Besides, the cabinets boast augmented thickness of the metal frames and an increased number of busbars as well as heightened thermal and electrodynamic resistance to short-circuit currents. Available LVSG certificates of conformity with IEC standards will allow JSC RASU to supply UEMZ equipment to all overseas construction projects of nuclear power plants of Russian design. In the next 10 years, more than 12 thousand such cabinets are planned to be delivered.
Let us remind you that last fall we submitted 11 LVSG cabinets of the new USG series to the F-Lab VOLTA laboratory (France, owned by Schneider Electric SAS) for mandatory tests confirming compliance with IEC 61439-1/2 and IEC 61641 standards as well as technical requirements imposed for overseas NPP construction and they successfully passed all the required tests.
It is worth noting that late in March 2019, the USG series cabinets underwent qualification tests for seismic and vibration effects on the maximum parameters as well as tests for performance in addition to the certification tests. In the IABG laboratory (Ottobrunn, Germany) response spectra corresponding to 9-point earthquake at an altitude of 30 meters from the earth’s surface were simulated. The tests were carried out in accordance with international standards IEC 60980, IEC 60068 and IEEE 344-2013, lasted four days and consisted of 16 tests, including the determination of resonant frequencies, simulation of design and maximum design earthquakes with different levels of acceleration, impact of air-shock wave (from the fall of the aircraft) and others.
“The cabinets of the new series have passed the maximum possible loads and meet the highest safety requirements in the countries where we are building nuclear power plants. The USG low voltage switchgears proved their readiness for the toughest operating conditions and on top of that, they are 30% cheaper and 20% more reliable than their competitors”, – stressed Andrey Butko.
UEMZ began to produce electrical cabinets 15 years ago and today in Russia, perhaps, there is not a single NPP unit under construction or modernization, which does not have a UEMZ electrical equipment item.
An ASEFA certificate of compliance with IEC regulations and standards provides access to foreign markets for our equipment and guarantees equal terms of participation in tenders for LVSG supply to foreign nuclear power plants of Russian design under construction”, – remarked Nikolai Groshev.
“Last year at SPIEF we signed a memorandum of cooperation, which launched a project of international certification of UEMZ low-voltage switchgears. Today, thanks to well-coordinated work of our specialists, we are pleased to pass the test reports and the certificate of compliance with the requirements of IEC61439 to the representatives of RASU and UEMZ. I am confident that this certificate will be a starting point for Russian-made electrical products to enter the European market, increase the Rosatom export potential and profitability of current and future projects, as well as ensure long-term production load and the creation of new jobs in Russia”, – said Francois Verkindt.
By the end of the year, the Russian equipment will be tested for operability at operating temperatures of at least 43?C and resistance to mold fungi (tropical climate simulation), as well as for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) of the LVSG with integrated crates – I&C items, the built-in diagnostic system of motor operated valves and the arc protection system with current control.
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JSC Rusatom Automated Control Systems (JSC RASU) is part of Rosatom State Corporation. The company is the single integrator of I&C and Electrical Engineering businesses. It accumulates the long-term experience of Rosatom’s companies in development of automated control systems and comprehensive electrical engineering solutions. RASU performs the full scope of activities, from engineering and design to delivery and commissioning of I&C systems and electrical equipment, both in Russia and abroad.
Ural Electromechanical Plant (FSUE UEMZ) is one of the leading manufacturing enterprises of Rosatom State Corporation. The plant is well-known as a supplier of electrical equipment for nuclear power plants and enterprises of the fuel and energy sector. Its products for civil applications are based on in-house developments and have modern exterior, original schematic and engineering solutions, high-quality components and user-friendly design.
ATOMEXPO international forum is the main event in the global nuclear industry. This is a major expo and business event, a place for discussion of the current state of the industry and setting future trends. The annual forum was first held in 2009. The participants include top managers of the key players of the global nuclear market – businesses, governmental bodies, international and non-governmental organizations, leading experts.